It is well known that from the microscopic view a carbon nanotube is formed in the following way: multiple carbon atoms each link with three adjacent carbon atoms to form hexagonal ring nuclei among the carbon atoms. By spreading and bending a plane constituted by cellular, repeated hexagonal nuclei, a circular cylinder is formed. The carbon nanotube is characterized in that its diameter is generally in the range from several angstroms to scores of nanometers while its length/diameter ratio is in the range from several tens to several thousands. Because of their excellent physical and mechanical properties and excellent electric conductive property, carbon nanotubes have been widely used. In recent years, research results concerning the modification of polymers by carbon nanotube have been reported. Carbon nanotubes used in this application do not need to be perfect in structure but should be produced in large quantity. Therefore this will demand a synthesizing technology that can produce carbon nanotubes in large quantity at low cost.
Carbon nanotubes were generally manufactured by electrical arc method, laser evaporation method, electrochemical gas phase deposition method, catalyst synthesis method and plasma synthesis method. In these methods, carbon sources used were those of small organic hydrocarbon molecules such as methane, acetylene, ethylene, carbon monoxide and etc. Organic polymers were scarcely used as the carbon source for manufacture of the carbon nanotubes. In addition, in the manufacturing process, an inert gas was used for protection purpose and the facilities used were relatively complex.